The present invention relates to a data storage system. In particular, the present invention relates to an improved head media interface for contact starts and stops.
Disc drives are well known in the industry. Such drives use rigid discs coated with a magnetizable medium for storage of digital information in a plurality of concentric data tracks. Typically, disc drives include a disc pack including a plurality of concentric discs mounted on a spindle motor which causes the discs to spin. Heads carrying transducer elements are supported relative to the disc surfaces to read and or write digital information to the disc surfaces.
Heads include a slider supported via a suspension assembly coupled to an actuator or xe2x80x9cExe2x80x9d block. Sliders include an air bearing surface which faces the disc surface. As the disc rotates, the disc drags air onto the slider along the air bearing surface in a direction approximately parallel to the tangential velocity of the disc. As the air passes beneath the air bearing surface, the pressure between the disc and the air bearing surface increases, which creates a hydrodynamic lifting force that causes the slider to lift directly above the disc surface to read and/or write data to the surface of the disc.
Prior to rotation of the disc, the slider rests on the disc surface. The slider is not lifted from the disc until the hydrodynamic lifting force, caused by rotation of the disc, is sufficient to overcome a preload force supplied to bias the slider toward the disc surface, and a stiction force holding the slider to the disc surface. The hydrodynamic properties of the slider are affected by the speed of rotation of the disc, the design of the air bearing surface of the slider, and the preload force supplied to the slider via the suspension assembly.
Known discs include both landing zones and data zones on a disc surface. Data is stored in the data zone and landing zones are used to support the slider and provide a takeoff and landing surface for the slider for contact starts and stops (CSS). Textured landing zones are known which provide a roughened surface for reducing stiction between the slider and the disc surface for takeoff. Landing zones are also known which include bumps of different shapes and sizes formed on a disc surface by a laser technique or other technique to provide a surface for the slider to take off and land. Bumps provide a lower contact area between the slider and disc surface to lower the stiction force holding the slider to the disc surface.
Disc drives are being designed which have lower slider fly heights. Landing zones which are formed of bumps extending above a base surface of the disc may interfere with the slider at lower fly heights, and increase the glide avalanche dimension. Prior landing zone surface structures wear reducing the effectiveness of surface structures to reduce stiction. The present invention addresses these and other problems.
The present invention relates to a head media interface. The head media interface includes a plurality of bumps extending from bearing surfaces of the slider and a data storage disc including a plurality of generally uniform holes extending below a relatively smooth base surface of the disc in a portion of the disc. The base surface interrupted by holes and the slider bumps form a contact interface for CSS.